Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly has undergone surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb, according to Shams Charania.
The 21-year-old sustained the injury while playing for the French national team during EuroBasket 2025. He is expected to miss time into the start of the 2025–26 NBA regular season.
Coulibaly is coming off a strong sophomore year in Washington. He started all 59 games he played, averaging 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.3 steals in 33 minutes per game.
His performance marked a significant jump from his rookie season, when he posted 8.4 points and 4.1 rebounds while starting just 15 games.
During EuroBasket, Coulibaly averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in six contests before being sidelined. His best outing came against Belgium, when he scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 22 minutes.
For the Wizards, the setback comes as they continue a rebuild centered around young talent. Coulibaly, selected 7th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, had been viewed as a core piece moving forward.
Coulibaly holds career averages of 10.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists through 122 NBA games. His efficiency has improved with experience, though his three-point shooting remains a development focus at 31.1 percent across two seasons.
